Book-holder.



(I. H. BARTLETT.

BOOK HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15. 1911.

Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INK NORRIS PEYERS CO., PHDWLIYNQ. WASHINGTON, D- C. V

C. H. BARTLETT.

BOOK HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-15,1911.

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BOOK HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15. 1911.

Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

C. H. BARTLETT.

BOOK HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15. 1911.

Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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UNFFFQD STATES FAZlFlNT-P tl FFlltl CHARLES H. BARTLETT, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

BOOK-HOLDER.

Application filed September 15, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. BART- LETT, of Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Book-Holders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to holders for supporting books in opened position, and refers especially to devices of such nature adapted to hold books having flexible covers such as telephone directories, magazines, and the like.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved device of the character mentioned, which will so support the back of the book that the binding, which is not usually of the most durable nature in telephone directories and magazines, will not be seriously impaired.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a simple and inexpensive device which will hold a book of any size within certain limits, and will enable the book to be presented at any preferred angle.

To these ends the invention consists in the construction and combination of parts substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

Of the accompanying drawings,--

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved book holder in one of its embodiments, the wings being closed. 7

Fig. 2 represents a section on line 22 of Fig. 1, on a larger scale. I

Fig. 3 is a plan view, the wings belng open.

Fig. at is an end view.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a supporting post and portions of the base of the holder.

r 1g. 6 represents a section on line 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 represents a vertical section of the portion of the post shown in Fig. 1, on which post the book holder is swiveled.

Fig. 8 represents a section on line 88 of Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12, illustrates a holder of the type Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

Serial No. 649,540.

shown in Fig. 1 but mounted upon a swinging rod instead of on an upright or post, said swinging rod being illustrated as connected to a desk.

Fig. 13 is a side elevation of a holder such as shown in Fig. 10, but adjustably mounted upon a swinging rod that is adapted to bepivotally supported bv a desk in a manner similar to the illustration in Fig. 12.

Fig. 141 is a side elevation illustrating another embodiment of that portion of the invention which relates to the means for adjusting the angular inclination of the holder.

Fig. 15 is a detail view, partly in section, of some of the parts shown in Fig. 14:.

Fig. 16 is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of the invention for firmly supporting the back of the book.

Fig. 17 is a detail side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 16.

F ig. 18 is a View similar to Fig. 17, but illustrating a difierent specific suspending device.

Fig. 19 is a perspective view of the suspending dovice shown in Fig. 18.

Fig. 20 is a view similar to Fig. 141". but illustrating a swiveled mounting of the book holder upon the supporting post.

Fig. 21 is a detail perspective view of the swiveling collar shown in Fig. 20.

Similar reference characters indicate the same or similar parts in all of the views.

Referring first to Figs. 19 inclusive, 21 represents the upper portion of a tubular post which may be rigidly or movably supported in any convenient manner. Said post is formed with a shoulder so that the sleeve 23 which is mounted on the re duced upper portion of the post 21 may rotate freely thereon. The upper end of the sleeve is provided with cars 24, through which a pin 25 passes. Coiled upon said pin, between the cars 24 is a piece of spring wire 26, the lower ends of which project well below the lower end of the sleeve. Then the sleeve shown in Fig. 6 is slipped upon the post shown in Fig. 7 the ends of the spring are placed inside of the post and, owing to the spring expansion of the ends 27, a friction bearing is exerted on the inner wall of the tubular post 21 to avoid undue freedom of rotation of the sleeve (and the book holder carried thereby) upon said post. The base frame 28 of the holder is shown in Fig. 3 as comprising a single flat strip of metal. The side members of said base frame are mounted on the ends of the pin 25 (see F 5), and retained by nuts 29. Spacing washers, or distance sleeves 30 are mounted on the pin 25, between the ears 24 and the side members of the base frame. A shortdistance from the pin 25 and parallel therewith, is a cross pin 31, said pin being of a structure, and connected to the base frame in a manner similar to the pin 25. Pivotally mounted upon said pin 31 is a link 32, the lower end of which is pivotally connected at 33 to a slide 34, mounted on the sleeve 23, and adjustably secured at the desired elevation thereon by a set screw 35. It will be understood that by simply changing the adjustment of the slide 34, the angle of inclination of the base frame 28 may be altered to any desired extent.

Inside of the frame 28, at one end thereof, (see Figs. 1 and 3) is a block 36, said block being held in place by suitable means as by screws 37. Secured to, and rising from the outer end surface of the block 36 is a plate 38, said plate serving as a bearing or end rest for the lower end of the bound portion of a book, to prevent said book from slipping out of position, especially when the clamps hereinafter described are about to be closed on the book, or are being opened to release the book. Adjacent the plate 38 are ears 39 of the frame 28, and passing through said ears and into the plate 38, are screws 40. At the other or upper end of the base frame are screws or pins 41.

Pivotally mounted upon the screws 40 and 41 are end portions 42, 43 of wings adapted to support the book in open position as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, or to hold the book closed. as shown in Fig. 1. The portions of the wings connecting the ends 42, 43, are formed with outwardly extending portions 44, between which are inwardly bent portions 45. This provides an irregular formation for the margins of the wings that are not only well adapted to support the flexible covers of a large book, but will also support the covers of a smaller book. The portions 43 of the wings are formed with loops 46, which aid in confining the covers and leaves of the book in that they prevent the lower edges of such covers and leaves from sagging. Said loops are substantially equi-distant from the pivots of the wings and project relativelv to each other so that they snap past each other when the book is closed with both the wings in substantially vertical planes, as shown by Fig. 1 and inter-engage with sufficient friction to retain the wings in book closing position. If the book is supported in closed position when lying face downward. with both wings projecting to the right, the loops or projections will not coact with each other but each will frictionally engage a portion of the opposite wing, as the wings are not coaxial and the loops describe arcs that cross each other at only one place. If the book is supported with its face upward, both wings pro ecting to the right, the loops will not engage each other but will each frictionally engage a portion of the opposite wing. This frictional interengagement enables the wings to clasp and hold closed a book of indeterminate thickness. In other words, the book may be thin or quite thick and still be held closed suflicientlv to prevent dust from settling between the leaves.

As clearly indicated in Fig. 1, the portions 44 extend to a greater distance from the pivot of the wing than the bar 45. This presents a feature of construction which is of material advantage, as I will now explain. Referring to Fig. 4 it will be seen that if the book is a flexibly bound one such as a telephone directory or magazine, then if it is closed over to the right, the righthand wing and bar 45 will support the book so that it cannot fall through the frame of the right-hand wing, while the bar 45 of the left-hand wing will bear upon the uppermost cover so as to hold the book closed in its right-hand turned position. Since the middle of the book is clamped, the entire book and its flexible covers then curve to the right and are held by the bar 45 of the wing which is then uppermost. The portions 44 however project in a radial direction, or, in other words, in a substantially straight line with the portions 43, and therefore the said portions 44 will extend to a raised position above the curved uppermost flexible cover in a direction that may be termed tangential to said cover. Either one of the raised or extended or projecting portions 44 presents a convenient handle which enables the holder to be quickly opened when the book is to be opened, without requiring that the entire opening movement shall be performed through the medium of leaf or cover members of the book itself, thus reducing liability of tearing the book or its covers. In other words, each wing presents a. member 45 which will hold the book cover down and a member 44 which will stand raised or away from said cover in convenient position to be grasped for opening, without having to take hold of the member 45 or any part of the book itself.

As shown in Fig. 1, the sides of the base frame are each formed with two slots 47, said slots being open at their upper ends. Slidably mounted in said slots are jaw carriages 48 (see Figs. 2 and 9), each of said carriages having upturned flanges 49 and ends 50 which pass first upwardly along the inner walls of the frame 28, then through the slots 47, and then upwardly parallel with the outer faces of the side members of the frame. Mounted'in the last mentioned upturned portions of each carriage, and also extending across the frame 28 through the slots thereof is a right and left hand screw 51 having a wheel or handle 52 secured to one or to each end thereof. Each screw 51 also passes through threaded apertures in two jaws 53, 53, the lower portions of which bear against the upper surface of the can riage 48 between the flanges 49 thereof, this structure preventing the jaws from rotatin and guiding them so that by rotating the screw 51 said jaws can be closed or opened to clamp or release the bound portion of the book such as indicated at (a. The book, with the jaws engaged therewith, may be removed from the holder and used independently of the latter. As shown by comparing Figs. 3 and d, the wings, when in their outturned positions rest upon and are limited by the upper edges of the portions of the base frame between the plate 38 and ears 39, the loops 16 projecting upwardly so as to prevent the leaves of the book from sagging downwardly. The book is then held in such position that its leaves may be conveniently turned for reference or reading, and the angular adjustment may be quickly effected by adjusting the slide 34 up or down in the upright sleeve 23.

Figs. 10 and 11 illustrate a book holder supported by means similar to the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, but having a base 61 which may consist of a single strip or elongated block of wood. Secured to said base 61 is a plate 62, having upturned ears 63 in which are mounted screws 64 adapted to removably clamp a book in a manner similar to the jaws 53 shown in Fig. 2. Secured to the lower end of the base 61 is a plate 65 having inwardly extending ears 66 between which the lower end of the bound portion of the book enters to prevent, lateral movement thereof. If desired, clamping screws such as shown at 6% might be mounted in threaded apertures in said cars 66. Stoplugs 67 extend outwardly from the plate and serve to limit outward. or opening movement of the wings when said wings rest upon the lugs. In said Figs. 10 and 11, the wings are shown as not provided with the irregular bent portions 44, 45. With such a structure, springs 68 may be employed, said springs having end loops 69 which engage the portions 42, 43 of the wings. Owing to the tension of the springs,

the end loops thereof will be held with sufficient friction to retain them when adjusted toward or from the pivotal points of the wings. Said springs serve the double purpose of coacting with the outer portions of the wings in supporting the covers of large books, or to support the covers of small books, and the further purpose of holding a book open if it should be desired to lift up one spring and carry it over and above a leaf of the open book.

In Fig. 12, T have illustrated a book holder similar to that shown in Fig. 1, but with the base frame 28 provided with lugs or blocks which are mounted upon a rod 76 having its upper end bent to form a vertical shank 77 which may engage a socket in a pivot block 78, suitably connected to a desk or other piece of furniture. Set screws 79 pass through the blocks 75 and engage the rod 76 to hold the book holder secured to the inclined portion of the rod. The shank 77 of the rod may be provided with a collar 80 to bear upon the upper end or the socket in the pivot block 78, to enable the inclined rod and the book holder carried thereby to be easily swung to a position over the desk or away therefrom.

In Fig. 13, I illustrate an embodiment of the invention employing a swinging rod somewhat similar to thatillustrated in Fig. 12. The structure of the base member of the holder and its clamps and wings may be such as illustrated in Fig. 1 or as illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11. The latter structure of book holder and wings is shown in said Fig. 13, in which figure the swinging rod 81 having a shank 82 adapted to fit a socket in a block such as shown at 78 in Fig. 12, is pivotally connected at 83 to the base 61 of the book holder. The main portion of the swinging rod 81 is substantially horizontal, and mounted thereon is a sleeve or collar 84 which may be secured in adjusted position on the rod by set screw 85. A link 86 is pivotally connected at 87 to the base 61 and at 88 to the slide 84. By adjusting the slide-84 along the rod 81, the angle of inclination of tie base 61 may be varied in the manner described in connection with Fig. 1.

In Figs. 1 and 15, 1 illustrate another structure of mechanism whereby the angle of inclination of the base 61 may be varied. In said Figs. ll and 15, the base 61 is provided with two se1ni-disks 90, which are secured to the under side of said base by glue or otherwise. A pivot pin 91 extends across the space between said disks at the center of the radii thereof, said pivot also extending through the upper end of the post or upright 92, which may be supported in any suitable manner. Slidably mounted on said post is a pad 93, the upper surface of which is pressed against the peripheries of the two semi-disks by a spring 94:, mounted on the post between said pad 93 and a collar 95, adjustably secured on the post by a set screw 96. This structure enables the base 61 to be swung to any desired angle and re tained there by the friction between the pad 93 and the curved surfaces of the semi-disks. A pin 89, extending from. one semi-disk 9O to the other, serves as a stop to prevent the base 61 from being tilted over in the wrong direction, owing to said stop pin being located in position to contact with the post or rod 92.

Referring to Figs. 16 and 17, a base which ma consist of a strip of wood 97 is suitably secured in vertical position such as to a wall or any article of furniture. From the upper portion of the face of said base, two

hooks 98 project said hooks being adapted to engage and retain a pin or screw 99, which is passed through a hole Z) in the book a. By means of the nut on the screw 99, suflicient pressure may be obtained on a book of proper width so that the inner sides of the hooks will clamp the book if desired. When the book having the pin 99 is hung up, its back rests squarely against the face of the base 97, and frequent use of the book will not affect the binding thereof. It will be observed that each of the structures illustrated provides a base member having front portions which are formed to squarely support the back of the bound portion, of a book, and means for holding the book with its said back bearing against said front of the base member. In the structure illustrated in Figs. 1 and 8, the support for the back of the bound portion of the book consists of the portions of the screws 51, between the jaws 53, while in Figs. 10, 11, 13 and 14, such support is afforded by the upper or front face of the base 61.

In Figs. 18 and 19, I illustrate a bail or hook 100 having eyes at its two ends through which a pin or screw 99, similar to that shown in Fig. 16 passes. By setting up the nut 101, the eyes of thebail 100 may be clamped upon the sides of the book, the

screw 99 passing through a hole in the book.

Then the book with its bail 100 may be hung upon hooks such as shOWn in Fig. 16.

Referring to Figs. 20 and 21 in which a structure is shown similar to that in Figs. 1 1 and 15, the post 92 is shownas provided with a swiveled collar 103, said collar being provided with pins 104: projecting outwardly diametrically from each other and into apertures in the semi-disks 90. Said pins 104: form trunnions on which the book holder may be oscillated to change its angle of inclination and owing to the fact that the col lar 103 is rotatable on the post 92, the book holder may be swung about the axis of post 92.

It is obvious that my improved holder may be used for holding any book flexibly bound like a magazine or with stiff covers, such, for example as a school geography. The carriage as is not necessary when the bottoms of the jaws rest on a base 61 such as that shown by Fig. 11, the flat surface of said base preventing the jaws from rotating with the screw 51.

The Wings which support the covers of the book may be in'some cases rigidly attached to the base member instead of being hinged or. pivoted thereto. When the book is relatively thick and has leaves and covers which are relatively narrow, the wings may be rigid arms projecting outwardly from the base a distance considerably less than the width of the covers so that they will bear on only the portions of the covers immediately adjacent to the back, and will permit the outer portions of the cover to be-bent outwardly across their outer ends.

I claim 1. A book holder having a base provided with side portions having slots, carriages mounted in said slots and adjustable lengthwise thereof, and clamping jaws carried by said carriages.

2. A book holder comprising a base having side portions provided with slots, carriages slidably adjustable along said slots and adapted to be retained in position, and book-clamping jaws carried by said carriages.

8. A book holder comprising a base having side portions provided with slots, carriages mounted in said slots and adjustable therein, a pair of aws mounted in each carriage, and a right and left hand screw for adjusting said jaws toward and from each other.

1. The combination with a hollow post, of a sleeve rotatably mounted thereon, said sleeve having a pivot at its upper end, a wire spring mounted on said pivot and having its ends extending into the hollow post to frictionally engage it, and a book holder adjustably mounted upon said sleeve and having means for clamping a book.

5. A device of the character described, comprising an upright post, a book holder supported thereby, and mounted to be swung in a substantially horizontal plane about the axis of said upright or post, said holder having semi disks adjacent to the post, and a spring-pressed pad on the post bearing yieldingly on said semi disks and adapted to retain the holder at various angles relatively to the post.

6. A holder for flexibly bound books having pivoted Wings, each of said wings including a bar to hold the book closed and turned to one side, each of said wings having also a portion extending to a greater distance radially from the pivot than said bar to present a raised handle to facilitate opening the wing.

7. A device of the character described, comprising a base member having means for clamping the back of a book thereto, and a pair of book-holding wings independently pivoted to the base member, both wings being free to be swung to the right or left of their pivots, said wings having projections to sup ort the lower edges of the leaves of the ook, said projections each being formed and located so as to frictionally bind on a portion of the opposite wing to hold the book closed in any one of a plurality of positions.

8. A device of the character described, comprising a base member having means for clamping the back of a book thereto, and a pair of wire wings independently pivoted to the base member, both wings being free to be swung to the right or left of their aXes whereby said wings may engage the book when open or when closed to the right or left, said wings having integral loops to support the lower edges of the leaves of the book, said loops being formed and relatively located to snap past each other and frictionally bind when both are raised to hold the book closed.

9. A device of the character described comprising a clamp to be secured to the back of a book, said clamp having projections, and a holder comprising a base having slots with open ends to enable the projections of said clamp to be'removably engaged with said slots without disturbing the clamps.

10. A device of the character described comprising clamping jaws for gripping the back of a book, screws for operating said jaws, and a holder having a base provided with open-ended slots to receive said screws, whereby the clamp and its screws may be connected with or disengaged from the holder without manipulating said screws.

11. A device of the character described, comprising a base member having means for clamping the back of a book thereto, and a pair of wire wings independently pivoted to the base member, both wings being free to be swung to the right or left of their axes, the base member having means for supporting the wings in out-turned positions, whereby said wings may engage the book when open or when closed to the right or left, said wings having projections to frictionally interengage when the wings are raised to hold the book closed.

12. A device of the character described, comprising a base member having wire wings pivotally connected therewith to support the covers of the book, supports for said wings when out-turned, said wings having integral loops relatively located to frictionally engage each other when the wings are raised to hold the book closed.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES H. BARTLETT. 'lVitnesses C. F. BROWN, R. P. ELLIOTT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

